Khin Zaw Win

Khin Zaw Win

Analyst, former political prisoner in Myanmar

Biography:

Dr Khin Zaw Win, a dentist by training, once worked with the ministries of health in Myanmar and Malaysia, and with UNICEF in Yangon. He was imprisoned in July 1994 by the military regime for peacefully criticising the regime. Amnesty International considered him a prisoner of conscience, and his case was one of only two in which UNESCO issued a public appeal for a political prisoner. Dr Zaw was one of more than 200 political prisoners released from jail in Myanmar on 6 July 2005. Since then, he has been active in civil society on a range of issues as the Director of the Tampadipa Insititute and is a well-known analyst of political trends.

What we do

The Myanmar Program of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung seeks to contribute towards a democratic transition and an inclusive and sustainable development for the benefit of all people in Myanmar. The Myanmar program dates back to the early 2000s when the foundation decided to support civil society inside Myanmar by awarding scholarships to promising young students from all parts of Myanmar and advocating a pro-engagement approach. The office is currently working on two programs: Natural Resource Governance / Development and Political Culture. In the Natural Resource Governance Program HBS MM intends to improve the participation of local communities and civil society in decision-making processes around the exploitation of natural resources, large infrastructure projects and extractive industries. In particular Asian Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Official Development Assistance (ODA) by International Financial Institutions (IFIs) is being scrutinized in this respect. In the Political Culture program HBS Myanmar promotes the development of a democratic Myanmar that respects fundamental human rights. In a media component the program promotes freedom of expression and freedom of press. In a gender component the program promotes gender and LGBTI* rights.